One City One Story

Announcements

It’s back! We are accepting submissions for the 2019 edition of One City One Story now through February 28. Visit our Submittable site for all the details and to submit your story!

About 1C1S

The mission of the Boston Book Festival is to celebrate the power of words, to promote a culture of literature and ideas, and to enhance the vibrancy of the city of Boston, and in 2010 we launched One City One Story to do just that. One City One Story is the BBF’s version of an all-city read, but instead of a book, we print and distribute a short story. Our goal is to make a short story available to all, free of charge, to spread the joy of reading for pleasure among the teens and adults of our city, and to create a community around a shared reading experience.

Background:

In 2010, One City One Story’s inaugural year, we distributed thousands of free copies of Tom Perrotta’s story, “The Smile on Happy Chang’s Face,” offered online translations and downloads, and led citywide discussions leading up to a town-hall style discussion with the author at the Boston Book Festival, hosted by Alicia Anstead, editor in chief of the Harvard Arts Blog and Inside Arts magazine. The next year, we held library discussions of the 2011 selection, Richard Russo’s “The Whore’s Child,” distributed the story throughout the city, offered the story in four different languages, and held a writing contest for the public. In 2012, we held an online reading group for the first time, in addition to library discussions, and a special discussion with Anna Solomon. Additionally, we offered a printed version in Spanish for the first time and provided the story in four different languages electronically.

Participate

How did the movements back and forth in time affect your reading of the story?

What did you think of the chaplain’s reaction to Ruby? How would you feel if you had his job?

Though Rozsa Fischer and Robert have had very different lives, they find common ground and ultimately have an emotional connection at the end of the story. In what ways does loss bring different people together? How have we seen that in current events?

The story ends with Robert and his wife, Katie, going on vacation. How will their lives be different when they return to Boston? Do you think they’ll try to have another child?

Robert comments that people always joke that he’ll soon be out of a job, namely because Holocaust survivors are dying off. How can we remember and commemorate tragedies like this even after everyone is gone? Why is it important to remember history?

There is a lot of talk of names in this story, from Robert and Katie naming their child to Holocaust survivors changing their names. Why are names so important to the characters in this story? How are names important to you?

Why do you think Rozsa Fischer takes such an interest in Robert’s wellbeing? Why does Robert feel compelled to tell Rozsa about Ruby?

What do you think it’s like for Robert to deal with death for a living? How would you feel if your job was to help the dying?

How does the familiar setting of Boston make you think differently about this story? Did it make it easier to connect to the characters?

What did you think of the character of Rozsa Fischer? How do you think you’d react if you met her in real life?

Writing Prompt

Imagine you’re meeting Rozsa Fischer for the first time. Where does it happen? What does she say? Does she give you a meatloaf? In 500-700 words, create a scene where you meet one of the characters in this story.